Blood Oath
by Ster J
Summary: Young Spock had his first taste of diplomacy at a very young age!


Blood Oath  
Ster Julie

Rating: G  
Codes: Sa, Am, Sp

Disclaimer: I ownnothing. Nothing, nothing, NOTHING!

Summary: Young Spock had his first taste of diplomacy at a very young age!

--ooOoo--

Sarek heard the sounds of retching coming from the necessary room.

"Amanda?" he called. _"Aduna?"_ Sarek eased into the room and found his wife bowed over the commode, moaning.

"I'm sick," Amanda announced unnecessarily.

I shall summon a healer," Sarek said as he pulled out his communicator.

"Have him check the baby, too," Amanda instructed weakly. "If it is a virus, he could be sick with it as well. I just finished nursing him an hour ago."

_"If_ it is a virus?" Sarek repeated. "Do you suspect that it could be something else?"

Amanda moaned, "It could be food poisoning," just before she was hit with several rounds of dry heaves.

"You were poisoned!" Sarek said with alarm.

Amanda waved a hand at her husband. "A figure of speech, Sarek," she assured. "It could just be my body rejecting alien cuisine."

"I _told_ you to be careful," Sarek admonished, alarmed that a simple reception could prove so dangerous to his human wife.

Just then, the healer arrived and examined Amanda. She was helped back to bed and given fluids. The healer then moved on to young Spock, but found him to be in an acceptable state of health.

"Your wife needs rest, Sarek," the healer reported. "Your son is unaffected. Who can care for him today while you are in negotiations?"

Sarek was taken aback. "My wife and I care for our son ourselves," he replied. "Due to Spock's special needs, no one else can care for him."

"Then you will have to reschedule your meeting with Ambassador Isi-ak."

"No," Sarek stated emphatically. "I can both care for Spock _and_ negotiate."

"But, how, Sarek?" the healer asked.

In response, Sarek picked up Amanda's ruana and tied it over one shoulder, forming a sling in which to carry his young son. Sarek picked up Spock and placed him in the folds of the soft cloth, holding him close to his left side. Sarek murmured to his son, reassuring Spock as the baby settled into the new position.

-

Sarek walked into his meeting with all the dignity a father carrying his sleeping son could muster. When Spock fussed, Sarek gave the baby his own knuckle on which he could suck.

Ambassador Isi-ak did not comment on the presence of the infant at these proceedings. Isi-ak had not realized that Vulcans were so family-minded, so dedicated to their children. He watched as Sarek quietly doted on his small son without missing a beat of the discussion. This behavior made such an impression on Isi-ak that he quickly made his decision.

Documents were prepared for signing, and Isi-ak held out a stylus to Sarek.

Sarek disengaged his hand from Spock's mouth and reached for the writing implement. At that moment, a single emerald drop fell on the document to be signed.

Sarek gazed at his knuckles, only then noticing that Spock had broken his father's skin. Sarek opened his mouth to apologize for ruining the document, but Isi-ak interrupted.

"A _solemn covenant?"_ he breathed. "You wish to join with us in a solemn covenant?" Isi-ak bit into his own knuckles and soon a chocolate-colored stain appeared next to Sarek's green one on the document.

"Now, your people are kin to my people," Isi-ak intoned. "Any attack against you is an attack against us. We stand together as brothers."

Sarek was stunned to silence. What had started out as a simple economic negotiation had ended up an allegiance in the style of Ancient Vulcan warriors. Sarek would have to make discrete inquires as to the extent of this "solemn covenant."

Isi-ak called for basins of warm water. Sarek washed the garish green stains from his son's mouth and chin, then washed his own hand. He slipped a bottle from his robe, gave it to his hungry son and walked back to his accommodations.

-

Amanda met her husband and her son at the door of their suite. She was still pale and weak, but much better than earlier. She reached a hand to her baby and asked, "Were you a good boy, Spock?"

Spock smiled around the nipple of his bottle at the sound of his mother's voice.

"Spock was a very good boy, Amanda," Sarek announced. "He was given the title 'Junior Ambassador' by Ambassador Isi-ak."

Amanda was amazed. "What happened?" she asked as she took Spock from Sarek.

Sarek replied with a twinkle and displayed his well-gnawed hand, "Spock helped me to 'seal the deal' with no less than a 'blood oath.'"

END


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